Webinar: "Unexpected" Workers and Users No More: Accessibility and Disability Inclusion in Libraries of All Types

Presented by librarians and disability advocates from academic, public, and special libraries. Of interest to current and future LIS professionals and faculty and students from Education, who will be partnering up with libraries to achieve accessibility and disability inclusion across educational settings. 

Thursday, April 22, 12pm-1pm MST

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Abstract:

Considerations of disability inclusion and accessibility have become central to the life and work of librarians and libraries of all types. In this panel discussion, librarians and disability advocates from public, academic, and special libraries will share their views on fostering disability inclusion in the field of LIS and their experience advocating for accessibility in libraries and information organizations. The panelists will share their trajectory toward disability and accessibility advocacy; describe how accessibility issues manifest in their libraries with regard to both patrons and staff members; reflect on the changes that are most needed when it comes to disability inclusion and accessibility in libraries; and address the most challenging and rewarding parts of their work.

Presenters' Bios:

Michelle Hahn, ​Music Librarian and Adjunct Professor, Indiana University Bloomington

Michelle Hahn is responsible for describing audio and video content for the music library, teaching cataloging to students in the library science education department, and teaching about music librarianship for students in that department’s music librarianship specialization. She serves several national and international organizations and presents frequently on topics of interest to librarians, including improving accessibility in libraries. She identifies as a “recovering ableist,” having been launched into the disabled community only recently, giving her a new perspective on the world. As a result, she is working on being a better activist for accessibility.

Debbi MacLeod, Director, Colorado Talking Book Library, Colorado State Publications Library

Curious, eclectic reader, gardener, cat lover, grandmother, Boston native. Currently I wear 2 hats At the CO State Library as Director of The Colorado Talking Book Library and Director of the State Publications Library. My prior experience includes 15 years in the corporate world at Hewlett Packard and Polaroid Corp and 8 years of entrepreneurial experience in manufacturing and retail. My first paid library job was at the Colby College Library. I graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, MO and received my MLIS from Simmons College in Boston.

​Jill Rothstein, Chief Librarian, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library at The New York Public Library

Jill Rothstein has worked at the New York Public Library for 16 years, has been Chief Librarian of the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library in NYC for five years, is a founding member of the New York Public Library's Accessibility Working Group, and a founding member and mentor with the Innovation Project which supports staff at any level in bringing to life unusual and creative projects. She has presented at the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled conference, Metro Libraries conference, American Library Association, and Harvard's World Heritage Strategy Forum. Before that she sang and did silly dances for toddlers as a children's librarian and then did not sing as much as a neighborhood branch manager. Born and raised in New York, after attending college at Oberlin, she taught in Madurai, India for two years and tried academia in Wisconsin before coming home and being lucky enough to love her job serving in public libraries.

Join us on Zoom Thursday, April 22, 2021, 12pm-1pm MST

Full connecting information

Time: Apr 22, 2021 12:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

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Webinar: Joint Progress Towards Inclusion

Presented by student activists, this webinar is for students, faculty, staff, and administrators interested in improving accessibility on campus.

Thursday, March 18, 12pm-1pm MST

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Presenters: Adrian Petterson and Amy Farrow, Accessibility Interests Working Group, iSchool (Faculty of Information), University of Toronto (Canada)

Abstract:

The student-organized Accessibility Interests Working Group at the University of Toronto iSchool has made the faculty a more inclusive space. Since their founding in Fall 2019, they have run workshops, hosted talks, developed resources for inclusive education, and recruited instructors and administrators to the cause. This talk will follow their growth, from a one-person initiative to a faculty-wide team, and show key strategies that led to their success. For higher education institutions looking to develop their DEI policies, this talk will show advocacy from the student perspective and give a roadmap for impactful grassroots organizing.

Bios:

Adrian Petterson is a second year Master of Information student focusing on User Experience Design. As chair of the Accessibility Special Interests Working Group, Adrian hopes to work with students and faculty to break down barriers at the iSchool and make it a more accessible space for all students. They strongly encourage students to get in contact with her to collaborate on access projects, and to talk about any barriers they’ve noticed or accessibility opportunities they’ve thought of!

Amy Farrow is a first year Master of Information student in the Human-Centred Data Science and Critical Information Policy Studies concentrations. Prior to the Master of Information program, she studied sociology and math, attended McMaster University and Queen’s University (Ontario, Canada), and worked as a math tutor. Outside of coursework and Accessibility Interest Working Group, she is also an associate editor for the iJournal. Amy’s goal is to organize student efforts to increase accessibility at the iSchool.

Join us on Zoom Thursday, March 18, 2021, 12pm-1pm MST

Webinar: Crafting Accessible Learning Environments Through Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning

Webinar slides courtesy of Dr. C.A. Copeland and K.J. Mallary

February 18, 2021 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST

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Presenters: Dr. Clayton A. Copeland, Director, Laboratory for Leadership in Equity and Diversity (LLEAD), and Faculty, School of Information Science, University of South Carolina, & Kevin J. Mallary, Instructor, Department of Communication, Western Carolina University, Ph.D. Candidate, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Description: Learners are variable in terms of their interests, lived experiences, needs, and abilities. Universal Design (UD) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are invaluable frameworks for creating physical and digital environments that embrace such variability. During this presentation, attendees will explore how accessible instruction can support learning. Throughout the session, the facilitators and attendees will discuss actionable strategies for implementing the principles of UD and UDL.

Dr. Clayton A. Copeland is on faculty with the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science. She is director of the iSchool’s Laboratory for Leadership in Equity and Diversity (LLEAD). Her research, which has been funded by the American Library Association, focuses upon equity of access to information for people with disabilities. Dr. Copeland also pursues research interests in literacy, technology, Universal Design, facilities planning, Universal Design for Learning, and materials and programming for children and young adults. She currently serves as an editorial board member of the International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion.

Kevin J. Mallary is an Instructor in the Department of Communication at Western Carolina University. He is also a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research, which has been published in the Journal of Information Science and College & Research Libraries, and presented during international and regional conferences, examines the intersection among disabled learners’ information practices, the provision and use of assistive technologies for communication and learning, and the implementation of Universal Design for Learning in higher education.

Join us on Zoom at noon MST on February 18, 2021